Fluid pressure operated valve



'April 14, 1959 l 2,882,007

y J. P. CONLAN FLUID PRESSURE OFERATED lVALVE Filed Nov. 18, 1952 BA1/Avr. N

IN V EN TOR. JOHN P. CONLAN United States Patent 2,882,007 FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED vVALVE John Patrick Conlan, New York, N.Y. `Application November 18, 1952, Serial No. 321,187

4 Claims. (Cl. 251-61) This invention relates to temperature and pressure valve regulators, and more particularly to a combined fluid pressureand temperature responsive valve control device.

' In my Patent No. 2,573,408, dated October 30, 1951, I haveprovided for the construction of a valve for controlling the llow of steam or other fluid, an air pressure and an` emergency manual control, the air `pressure control being of the bellows type.

' It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved type of combined fluid pressure and manually operated valve.

` Another object of my invention is to provide a highly efficient, economically made vibration-proof regulating valve unit whose parts are easily adjustable when assembling or when in use.

One further object of my invention is to provide a power` driven, air driven or hand operated pressure valve wherein such valve may be used within a wide range of pressures.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a pressure operated valve wherein the bellows part thereof is reinforced to permit relatively easy expansion and contraction thereof without vibration or loosening of such parts.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: l Fig. l is a vertical, partly full, partly sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view on a larger scale of the bellows portion of the embodiment shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a ragmental, sectional, detailed view of another portion of the embodiment shown in Fig. l provided with manually operable means;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental, sectional view of a modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail of another modification.

vReferring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, I provide, according to my .invention a valve control device which has a barrel or housing 11. Said barrel as shown has a lower Iintegral portion forming an inlet end 12 with an internally threaded opening 13 forming a tubular section in the barrel, a valve seat 14 disposed in the longitudinal axial portion of the housing and an outlet 15 provided with an internally threaded portion 16. Said inlet 12 is in communication with outlet 15 via valve seat 14 and permits the passage of steam or other heating liuid into barrel 11. Furthermore, as shown, said valve seat has a tapering portion 14a to form a rest when closed as will be hereinafter described. The barrel 11, as will be noted, is of unitary structure and will accommodate fluid entering the interior thereof through inlet 12. Said barrel is provided at its internally threaded top portion With a circular centrally opened cap 17 which is connected to said barrel by means of externally threaded inset circumferential portion 18. Said cap 17 is provided with an up- Patented Apr. v14, 1.959

21 wardly extending integral neck or housing 19 which is adapted to accommodatetherein a compression spring 20. The upper portion` of said neck or housing is externally threaded for joining with an internally threaded extensioncasing 21. Said casing 21 is provided. with a lateral, inlet conduit 22 for connection with a source of air pressure. It will be notedfthat the upper portion 23.v of said casing 21 has an axially threaded bore 24 and a recess 25 for a packing 26 which is held in position therein by means of a centrally opened cap 27. Disposed in said casing 21 is an axial, rotatable stem or rod 28 which can be operated by electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic or manual means 29, the latter being shown in Fig. 3. Said rod 28 is intended to control the adjustment of a spring operatedk stem 30 extending axially through housing 19, into housing 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper portion of said stem 30 is provided with a cap 31 which holds said spring 20 between said cap and the lower portion of neck or housing 19, acting as an abutment for spring 20.

Inside said barrel 11 isa bellows unit 32 which is supported by stem 30 and is adapted to contract or expand depending upon the flow of fluid pressure passing through the conduit 22 into casing 21, housing 19, and into bellows 32. It will be noted that there is suificient clearance in casing 21 and neck 19 to permit fluid to enter from inlet 22 into the bellows 32.

Said bellows 32, as shown in detail in Fig. 2, is provided with an upper disc 33 having an upwardly extending axially open externally threaded nipple 34 connected with cap 17 at the central opening 17a thereof. Said disc provides a boss reinforcement having an integral downwardly extending concentric tube 36, enclosing stem 30. Said tube, as will be noted from Fig. 2, has a bevelled tapering terminal portion 37 which is adapted to seat against a tapered terminal nipple 38, which nipple 38 in turn is connected to stern 30 as shown. Nipple 38, furthermore, isconical shaped or tapered and is attached to lower boss reinforcement member 39 which in turn is provided with a back seating 40 for supporting said boss reinforcement 39. Attached to said back seating 40 and in alignment with stem 30 is a valve 41 adapted to rest on valve seat 14 and close the opening thereof. It will be noted that said boss reinforcement 39 is provided with a concentric telescopic, tube 42 extending upwardly in said bellows 32. Said tube 42, furthermore, is provided with openings 43 so as to permit the rapid spread of pressure uid throughout the bellows 32 as said fluid enters into the concentric space around stem 30. It will be noted that said tube -42 is bevelled at its upper end 44 so as to form a tight lit with the tapering or conical portion 45 of the boss 35.

As will be observed from the drawing, there is p rovided suihcient clearance around stem 30 so that there is no obstruction to the passage of fluid to expand the bellows 32. Also when the fluid pressure is no longer applied, there is formed a tight fit between the terminal tapered portions of tubes 36 and 42 with the respective conical portions of nipples 34 and 38, to seal off any flow of uid. This is due to the normal construction of the bellows provided with the telescopic members 36 and 42 which form a closure effected by spring 20. Furthermore, all the parts in the bellows are easily assembled and can be readily adjusted or replaced. Said tapered portions 38 and 45 are adapted to form relative closing contact with the respective beveled ends 37 and 44 to completely seal oi said ends, while at the same time preventing vibration of the stem 30 when the bellows are under low pressure.

In the modication shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that there is provided a modified form of housing 11a having a two way valve system. It has an internally threaded inlet 46 leading into the upper portion of thehousing, an internally threaded outlet 47 which is in communication with the interior of housing 11a by means of an opening 48 of a valve seat 49 and another inlet 50 which is provided with an inverted valve seat 51. Furthermore,'bel1ows 32a is of the same internal construction as bellows 32 and is provided at its lower portion with a boss 52, a back seating 53 to hold the boss 52 whichis internally threaded axially to accommodate a s'tem 54. Said stem has attached thereto at its upper end a valve 55 for seat 49 and a terminal valve 56 for accommodation with valve seat 51.

In the modification as shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that hot water can be passed into the housing 11a by means of inlet 46 or that cold water can be passed into housing 11a by means of valve 56. In other words, there may be an alternate operation in the use of hot and/or cold water to enter through the housing 11a.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, it will be noted Y that there is provided a casing 59 to which is connected an inlet 60 which is in communication with a source of fluid pressure. In this modification there is no need for manual adjustment to control cap 31 against the operation of spring 20. Said cap 31 acts as a stop for spring which holds spring 20 between the cap and the lower portion of the housing 19 and for normally raising stem 30 upward.

It will be noted that according to my invention I provide bellows provided with a specially constructed tubing in which the upper part is a unitary piece which acts as a seat, since the edges of the same are beveled to it tightly against a solid piece constructed in the bellows. The tight t is eiected by the spring in the top of the valve. the same to closing position. When air is shut off, the valve is open. In case the outside bellows develop a leak, the bellows will collapse and the inner tube will close seating itself on the boss, thus preventing condensation from getting back into air supply lines and causing damage.

As will be noted from the description and illustration of the invention, I provide a device in which the parts are compact, easy to assemble or adjust. Furthermore,

in my device, there is a minimum of vibration of the bellows because of its internal construction. Because of its construction, my device can be used within a great range of pressure, for example, from 1 to 210 lbs. per square inch.

While preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, various modifications as to form, arrangement of parts and use of materials may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

l. A pressure responsive valve assembly comprising a valve housing having an inlet and outlet communicating through a valve seat, a cap secured to said housing having an opening in alignment with said valve seat, a pres- As air passes to the bellows the latter expands sure responsive bellows mounted in said housing in uid communication with said cap opening and having a valve closure member secured thereto adapted to engage said valve seat to control flow therethrough, said bellows being provided at opposite ends with reinforcing members, each of said reinforcing members being provided with a tubular extension telescopically disposed in axial alignment with said cap opening and sealingly engageable with the respective opposed reinforcing member in the valve open position there-by forming auxiliary valving surfaces, said tubular extensions defining a uid ow path between said cap opening and bellows whereby flow may be arrested upon collapse of said'bellows and engagement of said auxiliary valving surfaces.

2. A pressure responsive valve assembly according to claim 1 in which there is provided spring bias means for urging the bellows to a valve open position, and the outer tubular extension of one of the reinforcing members is provided with atleast one perforation to permit rapid expansion or contraction of the bellows.

3. A pressure responsive valve assem-bly according to claim 1, wherein lsaid valve member is secured at one end of said bellows and is actuated upon movement of said bellows, fluid passage means connected to said housing and in fluid communication with said cap opening, a valve stem in said uid passage means and extending coaxially into the bellows through said cap opening with iiuid passage clearance thereat and connected at one end to said valve member, and spring means in said fluid passage means for biasing said valve member toward its open position.

4. A pressure responsive valve assembly comprising a valve housing having an inlet and outlet communicating through a valve seat, a cap secured to said housing having an opening in alignment with said valve seat, a pressure responsive bellows mounted in said housing in fluid communication with said cap opening and having a valve closure member secured thereto adapted to engage said valve seat to control ow therethrough, said bellows being provided at opposite ends with reinforcing members, at least one of said reinforcing members being provided with a tubular extension disposed in axial alignment with said cap opening and sealingly engageable with the respective opposed reinforcing member in the valve open position thereby forming auxiliary valving surfaces, said valving surfaces defining a uid iiow path between said cap opening and bellows whereby tiow may be arrested upon collapse of said bellows and engagement of said auxiliary valving surfaces.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,575,771 King Mar. 9, 1926 1,842,337 Te Pas Jan. 19, 1932 2,119,317 Dasher May 31, 1938 2,288,642 Powell July 7, 1942 2,495,081 Thomas Jan. 17, 1950 2,573,408 Conlon Oct. 30, 1951 

